Temptation is described as the desire to do something that is against the righteousness of God. Satan is the master-tempter of humanity, and his intention is to make us lose the glorious relationship with God.

I discovered that in every hundred temptations that comes my way, less than ten tends towards doing something harmful to my neighbor. Thus, temptation always appears to be something enticing to do.

 
Our mind is always the channel through which devil introduces temptation to us. The book of James chapter 1, verse 13 and 14 says: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed”.

 
Some new converts always express their bitter experience about temptations to me. They thought that the acceptance of Jesus into their life will bring an end to temptation.

The acceptance of Jesus into your life will cleanse your ancient sins (through His blood). Then Jesus will give you the power over temptation and sin. All the children of God are free from sins, but not from temptation. Jesus, the son of God was also tempted when on earth.

Thus, you are not a sinner when you struggle with temptation. You become a sinner when you give-in to the temptation. So, what are the best ways to overcome temptation?

1. Identify Your Seducer

Remember I told you devil is the tempter and he amplifies temptation into your mind. Satan can use human being or things of this world to seduce you.If you cannot identify your seducer, then you would find yourself in the mess of the temptation.

For example; if your close friend advice you to buy an expensive cloth you don’t need in a supermarket, then quickly identify such person as a seducer to the temptation of extravagance. Take your eyes away from such cloth, and tell your friend that you don’t need it.

Devil pretended to be a good friend to Jesus in the book of Matthew chapter 4 verses 8 and 9: “Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” But, Jesus identified him as a seducer from onset, and He rebuked him in verse 10: “Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.”

2. Digest the Bible Daily

Reading the Bible like a newspaper cannot give you the power to overcome temptation. But digesting the word of God into your mind is a way to overcome any temptation that comes your way.

Jesus Christ did not joke with the Bible during His young age. I discovered this in the book of Luke chapter 2 verses 46: “Now so it was that after three days they found the boy Jesus in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.”

So, Jesus was able to overcome devil’s temptation through the use of the Word of God when He became an adult.

3. Discipline Your 5 Senses

The power to be holy comes from God, but if your power of choice that controls your 5 senses is not surrendered to God, then to overcome temptation will be impossible.

You must discipline your sense of; sight, smell, touch, hear and taste. Let your 5 senses be under the control of the Holy Spirit.

For instance, if you did not control your sense of sight and your eyes were engaged in all sort of erotic movies or magazines, then you have open the door of your mind for immoral and sexual temptation. Jesus advised us to take extra caution with our sense organs in the book of Matthew chapter 18 verses 7 to 9.

4. Your Regular Prayers Tackles Temptation

After I gave my life to Jesus, I felt bad when I fell into temptation of lies. Since, I knew all liars will have their part in lake of fire, I cried out to God for help.

And the Lord told me to set up a regular communication with Him, and this solution is helping me in a great way. Your church or night sleepy prayer is not enough to overcome temptation.

Cultivate the habit of engaging your mind with praises and prayers to the Lord always. And no form of temptation will overcome you anymore.

5. Be Alert to Defeat Temptation

You must be sensitive to your surroundings. I’m not saying you should always expect temptation, and I don’t mean you should be afraid of temptation.
Just keep watching and don’t be carried away by the fun of life.

Jesus was sensitive to discover the presence of Satan during one of His discussion recorded in the book of John chapter 14 verses 30 and 31: “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming…Arise, let us go from here.”

God had given us the power to overcome temptation, but we would find it difficult to use such power if we are not spiritually alert.

6. ‘Jump the Fence’

I am aware of a temptation that anointing from God cannot overcome. Whenever a sexual temptation stares at you, please do not cast and bind the demons, just run away from the premises. Joseph in the book of Genesis chapter 39 verse 10 to 12….’jump the fence’ and he overcame the temptation.

But the anointed king David refused to ‘jump the fence’ as recorded in the book of 2Samuel chapter 11, and he could not overcome the temptation.

7. Endure the Temptation

Do not give up to any form of temptation that stays too long with you. Temptation to steal or swindle had been a common attempt in the mind of many poor Christians.

I had listened to testimonies of some Christians who endured the temptation for many years and never gave up. The power of the Lord in you is the strength for your endurance to defeat temptation.

8. Walk in the Spirit

Walk in the Spirit means obedience to the instructions of the Lord in every decision you take. Eve walked in her thinking (flesh), and she admired the forbidden fruit. If Jesus had not walked in Spirit, He would have turned the stones to bread after His forty days of fasting.
Whenever temptation comes your way, listen to the spiritual response from God always!

9. Put on the Armor

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…”(Ephesians 6:13-18)

10. Don’t Fear the Temptation

One of my former lecturer defined the acronym of letter F for the word ’Failure’ as ‘Fear’. If you are afraid of temptation, then you will not be able to overcome the tribulation.

Jesus says in the book of John chapter 16 and verse 33: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”.